Sunday, May 19, 2013

Journey

This piece is about my departure from Switzerland in sight of Japan.There is no information contained within, simply emotion.
I realize there is not much to pack. A suitcase, a backpack.
My life resides in people, in technology.

There are things strewn around my room, yet most will not travel with me on my journey. There are books. So many books. I decide to take with me two of my favorite narratives. The others reside in my thoughts, my behavior. Most informational books have taught me what they know, have expired their purpose for me. They will help another individual achieve. Notebooks, papers, full of arrangements and ideas. I pick a pocket sized one containing the summaries of my plans. There is a stack of legal papers I am required by society to assign value to. A photo. A pen. Memories.

My computer. I remember having put the pieces together three years ago. Each one had been picked to balance cost and performance. I was overjoyed when it turned on. I now take it a part, for the second time, it must come with me. We will return to our shared home. It has served me well. It is my tool of choice, my capability. I dust off each piece. I leave the case and the monitor, the dvd-drive, and the floppy drive I had jokingly built in. Unnecessary weight. A cable, some screws, my keyboard. I need my keyboard.

I pack my clothes.
I wrap the fragile pieces.
They belong in boxes.

I stare at my suitcase, at my backpack, at the clothes I will wear tomorrow.
I feel humbled. Is this my life?